Opinion Pieces

Strengthening South Africa’s public health response to climate change

Current Issues, Opinion Pieces, Policy briefs, Uncategorised / By

Can South Africa’s health system keep pace with climate change? Climate change is no longer a distant concern but a public health emergency that presents a growing threat globally, including in South Africa. The country is already experiencing climate-related health effects, including rising temperatures, floods and droughts, shifting vector-borne disease patterns, and water scarcity that […]

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Antimicrobial resistance: The threat we can see, if we choose to look

Current Issues, Opinion Pieces / By

The burden of antimicrobial resistance Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) remains one of the most critical global health threats, which could result in 169 million people dying of AMR-related causes between 2025 and 2050. Despite the magnitude, it is a “silent pandemic” because it receives far less attention than traditional pandemics. However, if we examine the problem

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The risk of zooanthroponosis of mpox in South Africa

Current Issues, Opinion Pieces, Uncategorised / By

Is there a risk of mpox spreading from humans back to animals? Mpox is a zoonotic disease caused by the monkeypox virus (MPXV). The virus is transmitted from animals to humans in endemic areas in central and western Africa. Although the natural ecology of MPXV remains to be elucidated, evidence points towards several rodent species

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Key Takeaways from the Inaugural SAFETP Alumni Symposium

Current Issues, Opinion Pieces, Uncategorised / By

Highlights from the First SAFETP Alumni Gathering South Africa (SA) has complex disease epidemiology, with health problems affecting low- and high-income groups differently. The interplay of these diseases with lifestyle and social determinants, as well as environmental factors, is becoming increasingly apparent. Epidemiologists study the occurrence and trends of disease to provide critical information for

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Water cuts in South Africa are hurting hospitals and clinics – there’s an increased risk of infections

Opinion Pieces / By

South Africa is a water-scarce country. Changing rainfall patterns and the escalating electricity crisis are making the situation worse. Treating and distributing water requires electricity. Some of the country’s biggest cities have had to impose water restrictions and residents in other parts have gone months without a regular water supply. Unfortunately, health facilities have not

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Vaccines could be a game-changer in the fight against malaria in Africa

Opinion Pieces / By

The development of an effective vaccine for malaria has proved to be far more challenging than developing a vaccine to protect people from COVID-19. Several different COVID-19 vaccines were developed and approved for use within a year of the disease’s emergence. In contrast, it took over 30 years of intensive research and numerous clinical trials

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It’s time to go back to basics in the fight against childhood pneumonia

Blog, Opinion Pieces, What's New / By

Pneumonia is a respiratory infection that affects the lungs. The viruses and bacteria that cause the disease are spread through airborne droplets from a cough or sneeze. An infection can cause the lungs to fill with pus and fluid, making breathing and oxygen intake difficult. And while anyone can get pneumonia, children with weakened immune

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How higher temperatures and pollution are affecting mosquitoes

Malaria, Opinion Pieces / By

In 2017, malaria killed 435 000 people around the world. The vast majority of these deaths – 403 000 – were on the African continent. Most malaria cases are in sub-Saharan Africa. My colleagues and I at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases track malaria cases and mosquito behaviour in South Africa. As part of

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The DRC’s Ebola outbreak has all the makings of a humanitarian crisis

Opinion Pieces / By

West Africa experienced the worst Ebola outbreak between 2013 and 2016.Ahmed Jallanzo/EPA Jacqueline Weyer, National Institute for Communicable Diseases It’s been eight months since the start of the current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). By the beginning of April, almost 700 people have succumbed to the disease, making this the second

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